Driving mechanism



Nov. 23, 1937. R. M. NARDONE 6 DRIVING MECHANISM Original Filed May 8, 1931 [9 /4 ,I\/-\//2 2/ I v 4/ I0 55 d! 38/ 90 34 I I I 20 la /6 as 01 //6 55 5 277?" Jr:

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INVENTOR BY 0145M,

ATTORNEY Romeo MNaraone.

' Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,099,788 muvmc ECHANISM Romeo M. Nat-done, East Orange, N. J., assignor to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Original application May 8, 1931, Serial No. 536,031. Divided and this application August 31, 1936, Serial No. 98,799

1 Claim. (01. Ha -s2) An object of the present invention is to provide novel means for operatively connecting a starter of the foregoing type to the engine, whereby the energy of the starter may be rendered effective to start the engine.

A further object is to provide a clutch or coupling mechanism and operating means therefor adapted for the foregoing as well as other uses,

and embodying a novel construction possessing practical merit and insuring efliciency and reliability in operation.

These and other objects will become apparent upon inspection of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is intended merely to serve as an illustration of one mode of embodying the invention in a. practical form and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claim.

In the drawing:- Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along 36 the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, the invention is therein shown embodied in ahousing compris-.

ing two sections 5 and 6, the former being adapted to be secured in an extension I of the' crank-- ti being provided for this purpose with a flange 8 having suitable openings adapted to receive bolts 9 for mounting the starter in operative position with respect to the crankshaft III, or other rotat- 45 able member of the engine operatively connected to such crankshaft;

Suitable means are provided for attaching the section 5 to'the section 6, such means comprising, as shown, a plurality of bolts l2 adapted to lo secure together the flanges l3 and I4 provided on the sections 5 and 6 respectively. The section 6 is further provided with an outwardly extending boss or hub l6 having a recess l1 adapted to receive-a ball bearing member R serving to rotatably support the hollow shaft II, the latter being v held against longitudinal movement relative to the boss I6 by suitable means to be described. Mounted on the shaft IQ for rotary movement therewith is a member drivably connected, through suitable speed multiplying mechanism to 5 be described, to a flywheel 2| of suitable mass and weight to constitute an inertia member in which energy may be stored for subsequent transmission to the engine member l0. Novel means areprovided for rotating the shaft l9 whereby 10 energy may be stored in the flywheel 2|. As shown, such novel means comprises an enlarged portion 20 of shaft IS on which are cut teeth 23 adapted to mesh with the teeth of a spur gear 22 aflixed to the reduced end portion 25 'ofa 15 shaft 24 extending through the boss IS in par- .allelism with the shaft l 9 and being provided near its outer end with a pin 21 or other suitable means adapted to be engaged by a hand crank or other manual rotating device, a pair of spacing bushings go 28 and 29 being provided upon the shaft 24 having flanges engageable with the inner and outer, faces of the boss I 6 to maintain the shaft 24 in proper position, a nut 30 being provided on the threaded end of shaft 24 to maintain the gear, 25 22 in place. a v

The means employed for drivably connecting the hand cranking means just described to the flywheel 2 I, preferably comprises a system of gearing including a planetary gear assembly asso- 30 ciated with the shaft l9 and operableto transmit the rotary movement ofsaid shaft to a second set of gears which are in turn drivably associated with the flywheel. The planetary gearing preferably comprises a plurality of planet gears ,32, each of which is rotatably mounted on a bolt.

33 threadedly secured to a recessed plate or driving barrel 34' for rotary movement therewith, the barrel 34 having a centrally disposed hub 35, the

- inner circumferential surface of which is driv-- ably connected to the end of shaft I 9, suitable key means 36 being provided for this purpose. The bolts 33-are in turn adapted to be held in proper spaced relation to the barrel 34 by the a reaction gear about which the planets 32 travel while rotating around a centrally disposed sun.

, the shaft I9, being held in proper axial relation thereto by the provision of suitable flanged spacers 49 and 50. The gear 41 is in turn adapted to mesh with a pinion 5| preferably formed integral with a hub 52 of a gear 53 which is rotatably supported with the assistance of roller bearings 54 on the stub shaft 55, the ends of which are journaled respectively in the dividing wall 58 and the boss 51 located at the upper end of the casing 8.

The means for drivably connecting the gear 53 with the flywheel 2| are preferably of a yielding character and, as shown, comprises a friction clutch mechanism one member 59 of which is rotatably supported with the assistance of ball bearings 80 and GI in an annular plate 62 having a flange 83 provided with apertures through which pass screws 84 adapted to threadedly engagecorrespondingly threaded openings in the dividing wall 56. The member 59 is flanged at its inner endas indicated at 65 with splines adapted to engage alternate members of an annular disc clutch assembly 66, the intermediate members of which are similarly splined at their inner circumfe ential edges to the hub 81 extending axially forward of the flywheel 2|. A spacer sleeve 69 is preferably interposed between the hub 61 of the flywheel and the member 59 of the clutch assembly to permit relative rotation therebetween, the said spacer sleeve also extending forward to permit relative rotation of the member 59-and the centrally disposed shaft or rod 12 which, in cooperation with a spring 13 provided in the recess 14 of the flywheel, maintains the desired frictional pressure on the friction surfaces of the clutch assembly, suitable tension adjusting means being provided, as shown at 16, where such means takes the form of a collar surrounding the rod Y12 and rotatable relatively thereto through the instrumentality of the ball bearing 11, a nut 18 being provided to maintain the collar 16 in ad- ;justed position on the shaft 12. The outer end of the member 59 is preferably provided with a series of circumferentially disposed teeth 88 forming a pinion adapted .to mesh with the teeth of gear 53.

From theforegoing it is apparent "that manual operation of the shaft 24 will be effective through the gearing and clutch connections just described to rotate the flywheel 2| at a speed considerably in excess of'that of which the shaft 24 can be rotated by hand. When the flywheel 2| has thus been accelerated sufliciently to accumulate therein the required amount of energy, the same may be delivered to the engine member I8 through a reverse driving operation accorded to the gear train above described, the member 34 of which is adapted to be drivably connected to the engine member I8 by the means now to ,be described.

The means employed for drivably connecting the-barrel 34 with the enginemember I8 preferably comprises the provision of an engine-engaging member 8| having a hub 82 provided with with the splined socket 81 formed in the end of -ing pin 94, and for yieldably restraining it in either position to which it is moved, will next be described.

The means for actuating and restraining the meshing shaft 94 as illustrated in Figs.-2 and 3 preferably comprises the provision of a boss 98 extending at right'angles from the central boss 95 as indicated in Fig. 2 and provided with a socket in which is disposed a compression spring 91 adapted to press upon the head of a locking pin or plunger 98 whose opposite end is shaped to engage one or the other of the notches 99 and I88 formed at proper angular positions on the periphery of the sleeve member I8I rigidly secured, as indicated at I82 to the meshing shaft 94. The outer end of the spring 91 is adapted to be seated on a threaded block I03 which is provided with a groove I04 for reception of suitable means for adjusting the stress in spring 91. Near the outer end of the shaft 94 is provided a crankarm having a suitable handle I81 by which the shaft 94 may be rotated against the pressure of the spring 91 to cause an axial movement of the jaw 8| into meshing engagement with the engine jaw 84, the notch I00 being so disposed with relation to the notch 99 that it registers with the end of the plunger 98 upon completion of the meshing movement and is thereafter held in such position by the force of spring 91 notwithstanding the release of the handle I81 by the operator.

In the event that it is desired to crank the engine by direct action rather than by the use of energy previously stored in the flywheel 2|, such direct cranking is possible through the operation of the novel direct cranking and alternate meshing means herein disclosed. As shown in Fig. 1 such means comprises a second cranking 4 As shown shaft I09 passes centrally through the hollow shaft I9 and is provided at its inner end with a nut I I8 adapted to retain in place asecond meshing member I 3, this function being per-" formed by the nut II8 with the assistance of a 1 compression spring III, which abuts the end of shaft I9 and exerts a pressure on the shoulder I I2 formed on shaft I89. As shown, such member is preferably similar in construction to the meshing member .8I and is provided with inclined teeth or jaws II4 similar to the jaws .83 and disposed in relation thereto, so as to be capable of meshing with the corresponding jaws 34 of the engine member 85. A suitable driving connection .is provided between the inner end of the shaft I89 and the meshing member II3, such driving connection'being shown in the form of splines M5 .on shaft I89 adapted to engage corresponding splines on the interior cylindrical surface of the meshing member II3. A suitable pin II8 is provided near the outer end of the shaft I09 for the reception of the handcrank or other suitable meshing means which if desired may be an electric motor or other power device.

Having thus enumerated the parts entering into the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the operation thereof will now be briefly reviewed. In the event that it is desired to crank the engine through the use of energy storedin the flywheel 2|, the latter may be energized by rotation of shaft 24, which rotation will be efiective to store energy in the flywheel 2! through the intermediary of the speed changing mechanism above described. When suflicient energy has thus been accumulated in the inertia member 2!, the operator may rotate the meshing shaft 94, by means of handle I01, from the position indicated in Fig. 3, through the required angle necessary to cause meshing engagement between the jaws 83 and 84. Thereupon the engine member 85 will be rotated in unison with the member 8| which has meanwhile been rotating with the member 34. During the cranking operation, the pressure of spring 91 is sufficient to maintain the plunger 98 in registry with the notch I09 and thereby hold the jaws 83 and B4 in meshing relation. As soon, however, as the engine starts under its own power, the resultant superior torque thereof will cause disengagement of the jaw 83 (due to the inclination of its surfaces) and corresponding oscillation of the meshing shaft 94 and sleeve lfll in the position indicated in Fig. 3, such return oscillation being eifected against the pressure of spring 91, which is yieldable in response to the exertion of the superior force of the engine member 85.

If, on the other hand, direct cranking of the engine is desired, such direct cranking may be produced by engagement of suitable actuating means with the end of shaft I09, and by exertion thereon of axial pressure causing the inward movement of the jaw member H3 into meshing engagement with the engine member 85. Thereupon the engine may be started under its own power through continued rotationof the shaft I09. As soon as the engine starts under its own power, a disengagement of jaw member H3 results from the combined action of the inclined surface of thejaws and the previously compressed spring H, the latter being normally effective to maintain the direct cranking means inefi'ective.

This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial Number 536,031, filed May 8, 1931.

What is claimed is:--

In a rotation transmitting mechanism of the type embodying an axially miovable rotatable clutch member having a peripheral groove, a rockshaft having its axis directed toward said clutch member and also having an extension en- ,gageablewith said peripheral groove, a sleeve movable with said rockshaft, said sleeve having a pair of angularly spaced notches along its outer surface, and means engageable with said notches to yieldably oppose movement of said rockshaft and sleeve.

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

